Seahawks, Richard Sherman, agree on new deal

The Seahawks wanted to get a deal done with Richard Sherman (above) before the NFL Draft, and they have done so just in the nick of time.

The team has called an 11 a.m. press conference to announce a new deal with Sherman — the Draft starts tomorrow.

Sherman reported on his own blog that the deal is four years for a total of $57.4 million, with $40 million guaranteed. That comes to an average of $14.25 million per year and will make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, an honor that currently belongs to Darrelle Revis of New England, making $12 million next season.

Sherman further wrote on his blog that: “I am blessed to announce that the Seattle Seahawks and I have reached an agreement on a contract extension. The goal has always been to stay in Seattle and continue to play for the Seahawks. With this chapter closed, I can continue to focus on what is important – defending our Super Bowl Championship and being the best cornerback in the NFL.”

Sherman had told the Times last week that he was not concerned about being the highest-paid cornerback.

“I don’t care for that,’’ said Sherman, who is due to make $1.4 million in 2014 on the last year of the four-year rookie deal he signed in 2011. “The only list I care about being at the top of is interceptions.’’

Still, Sherman said he will want what he feels he is worth.

“It’s about respect,’’ he said. “Whatever the team feels I deserve, the respect they feel — that (money) is the respect from the team. That’s how they show it, at least in this game. In other aspects of life it may be different. You may show respect in different ways. But in this game that’s how they show it.’’

Getting Sherman done completes most of the team’s off-season goals.

Last week, the team signed free safety Earl Thomas to a four-year deal through the 2018 season making him the highest-paid safety in the NFL at $10 million a season.

And re-signing Sherman assures that three-fourths of the Legion of Boom secondary is intact for four more years as strong safety Kam Chancellor last year signed a five-year, $35 million deal taking him through the 2017 season.

The team has been paring salary throughout the off-season to clear the cap space to be able to re-sign Thomas and Sherman. After the 2014 season the team will then attempt to sign QB Russell Wilson to an extension. Wilson has to play the 2014 season under the terms of his original rookie contract.

The Seahawks also earlier this year extended the contract of coach Pete Carroll through the 2016 season, matching an extension given last year to general manager John Schneider.